Armed Rebellion In Russia
UPDATE:
Mercenary chief, Russian dictator, step back to avoid clash
A mercenary convoy of armored vehicles was a mere 120 miles from Moscow when its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin unexpectedly announced a retreat “to avoid bloodshed.” Russian dictator Putin’s Belarusian vassal Aliaksandr Lukashenka had brokered a deal with Prigozhin whose 25,000-strong army Wagner mercenary group had been fighting in the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine. But it turned against Moscow after accusing Russian troops of attacking one of its camps. Wagner fighters crossed over from Ukraine and took control of two Russian cities, demanding that top Kremlin defense officials come to negotiate. When they failed to show up, the mercenaries began their march on Moscow. Putin, who earlier in the day had accused the Wagner group of treason, now announced that mutiny charges against Pirgozhin would be dropped.
Wagner boss says Russians struck his camp;
Putin wants to punish him for treason
The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that a Russian missile strike on one of his camps killed a “huge” number of his paramilitaries. In response, his fighters have taken over the Russian cities of Rostov on Don and Voronezh. He called on top Russian defense officials to come and negotiate, warning that his troops would march on Moscow if his appeal were ignored. Putin meanwhile called it “an armed rebellion” and “high treason,” which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The dictator added that every means would be used to restore order. The outspoken Prigozhin, whose private army has some 25,000 troops Russia’s war on Ukraine, has frequently criticized Russian defense officials for mismanaging the conflict. An oligarch whose many businesses included a successful catering firm, he once served as Putin’s personal chef.
Submitted by
Robert Strybel
Warsaw Correspondent
